Earning WELL certification is a significant achievement, but maintaining it is an ongoing challenge: it is a commitment that must be renewed every three years. Maintaining it requires continuous monitoring to demonstrate that the building continues to meet the standard’s requirements and that the strategies implemented during the initial certification process continue to be effective.
In practice, many organizations celebrate the initial certification and treat follow-up as a secondary activity until there are only a few months left before recertification. What should be a systematic follow-up then turns into a race against the clock to piece together information that should have been collected throughout the entire period.
At Zero Consulting, we have supported several projects through their recertification process, and the conclusion is always the same: success does not depend on a last-minute effort, but rather on establishing a systematic, ongoing monitoring process from day one. A well-designed plan turns recertification into an orderly and predictable process, without cost overruns or last-minute surprises.
What is WELL recertification?
WELL recertification is the process by which a certified project maintains its commitment to the standard once the certification period has expired. Over the course of those three years, the facilities, the layout of the spaces, the HVAC systems, the lighting, the maintenance staff, or even the way the building is managed may change.
Therefore, maintaining WELL certification is not simply a matter of preserving the conditions that existed at the time of initial certification. It is necessary to monitor the strategies that have been implemented and to have evidence demonstrating their continued implementation.
Recertification should therefore be understood as an ongoing process rather than a one-time action at the end of the certification period.
How do you maintain WELL certification over the three-year period?
The monitoring of a WELL project can be structured around two main areas:
- Anticipating changes that may occur in the building.
- Keeping track of the requirements that need to be monitored during the certification period.
Combining these two approaches allows for the design of a monitoring plan tailored to the project.
1. Anticipate changes to the building
A building is not a static entity. During the certification period, expansions, layout changes, or facility renovations may occur. When this happens, in addition to the annual monitoring , it will be necessary to verify that these modifications continue to comply with the WELL standard, and supporting documentation will be requested.
The good news is that you don’t have to re-submit documentation for everything: only the strategies affected by the change are reviewed. For example, work on the HVAC or lighting systems will require demonstrating that the new conditions maintain the required level, while the rest of the strategies remain unchanged. Anticipating these changes prevents the need to redo work and provides peace of mind for the team.
2. Monitor the strategies that require follow-up
Not all WELL strategies are managed in the same way. Some require periodic reporting, while others depend on adherence to certain protocols or specific measurements.
Ongoing monitoring rests on three pillars that should be clearly understood during the initial certification process, as they define which strategies will require constant maintenance:
- Annual reports: the periodic submission of information demonstrating that the project continues to meet the standard.
- Maintenance and operational protocols: the routines and procedures that ensure the facilities are maintained in their certified condition.
- Spot or continuous monitoring: the measurement of parameters such as air quality, lighting, or comfort, either continuously via sensors connected to a BMS or through spot measurements.
Therefore, it is advisable to identify the following from the outset:
- which strategies require periodic reports;
- which protocols must remain operational;
- which parameters require monitoring or measurement;
- how often each piece of evidence should be collected;
- who is responsible for each task.
This analysis allows the WELL requirements to be converted into an operational monitoring schedule.
The Main Challenges of WELL Recertification
A lot can happen over a three-year period, and experience has shown us where difficulties tend to arise. These are the recurring challenges and how to anticipate them.
Challenge 1. Changes in the responsible teams
One of the most common risks is turnover among the staff responsible for facility management, maintenance, or building management.
When knowledge about WELL is concentrated in a single person, a change in the team can lead to a loss of information, documentation, or even access to the platforms used to manage the project.
The solution is to centralize information and document procedures so that monitoring does not depend on a single person.
Challenge 2: Collecting evidence too late
Trying to reconstruct two or three years’ worth of information as recertification approaches can turn a manageable process into a complex task.
Each requirement has its own tracking needs, and not all information can be easily retrieved once time has passed.
The key is simple: keep the data up to date and upload it to WELL Online as soon as it’s ready. This way, the certification remains active, issues are detected early, and when recertification comes around, the process is almost immediate because all the information is already in order.
This makes it possible to identify potential non-compliance issues in advance and approach recertification with all the necessary information ready.
Challenge 3. Lack of involvement from the operational team
WELL certification cannot be maintained solely by the sustainability department or the consultant.
Those responsible for maintenance and operations play a key role, as they are the ones who implement many of the protocols necessary to maintain the certified conditions.
That is why it is important for them to understand:
- which WELL requirements affect their work;
- what tasks they must perform;
- how often;
- what records they must keep;
- what to do when a change occurs in the building.
How should an ongoing WELL monitoring plan be structured?
An effective monitoring plan can be organized into four steps:
- 1. Create a monitoring schedule: Assign each requirement to a frequency and a person in charge. The schedule should make it clear what needs to be done, when, who is responsible, and what evidence must be retained
- 2. Centralize documentation: All WELL-related information should be organized in a repository accessible to those responsible for the project. This facilitates both routine monitoring and changes in personnel.
- 3. Conduct interim reviews: It isnot advisable to wait until the third year to verify whether the project remains compliant. Periodic reviews allow you to detect deviations, identify outstanding documentation, and verify that protocols are being correctly implemented.
- 4. Integrate WELL into preventive maintenance: WELLmonitoring should be incorporated, whenever possible, into routine operation and maintenance processes. In this way, measurements, inspections, and protocols are no longer dependent on one-off actions but become part of the building’s day-to-day management.
Why is it important to begin WELL monitoring from day one?
The main benefit of an ongoing system is not merely to facilitate recertification.
Continuous monitoring allows for:
- Detect deviations before they become a problem.
If a measurement or protocol no longer meets the specified conditions, action can be taken before it affects the recertification process. - Preserve the necessary evidence.
Information is collected as it is generated, avoiding reliance on old or hard-to-retrieve records. - Facilitate equipment changes.
Documentation and procedures remain part of the project even if the people in charge change. - Keep WELL strategies active.
Certification ceases to be a one-time goal and becomes integrated into the building’s operations. - Reduce the workload as recertification approaches.
When monitoring has been carried out correctly over the three-year period, the final preparation is much more organized.
WELL Recertification: A Three-Year Plan
Recertification cannot be improvised year by year; it requires a comprehensive plan structured from the outset that is implemented on a recurring basis throughout the three-year cycle:
- Initial Planning (Year 1):
Define the complete roadmap from day one, assigning responsibilities, timelines, and centralized repositories for all documentation (Annual Reporting). - Ongoing Monitoring (Years 1, 2, and 3):
- Monitor and record: Maintain continuous data collection (air quality, water, HVAC maintenance, surveys) using digital platforms to ensure no evidence is lost.
- Audit and adjust: Conduct annual interim reviews and audits to detect deviations early and adjust operational protocols before final delivery.
Integrating WELL into preventive maintenance ensures that the guidelines become part of the building’s operational routine from day one, avoiding last-minute efforts.
How can Zero Consulting help with WELL recertification?
At Zero Consulting, we support WELL projects during the monitoring period to structure the ongoing process and prepare for recertification.
We take charge of structuring the work plan—defining timelines, assigning responsibilities, and managing documentation—auditing the impact of potential changes to the spaces, and coordinating the entire recertification process.
The goal is for WELL not to be managed as a one-time task every three years, but rather as a system integrated into the building’s operation and maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions About WELL Recertification
- How often does a WELL project need to be recertified?
WELL certification is valid for three years. During this time, the project must maintain the applicable conditions and strategies and conduct the corresponding monitoring. - What happens if the building changes during the three-year period?
When changes occur that may affect WELL strategies, it is necessary to assess their impact and provide information demonstrating compliance with the applicable conditions. It is not necessarily required to re-submit documentation for the entire project. - What information must be retained during WELL monitoring?
It depends on the strategies applicable to the project. This may include periodic reports, operating protocols, maintenance records, and data from measurements or monitoring systems. - Is it necessary to continuously monitor air quality?
Not all requirements are managed in the same way. Some strategies may require continuous monitoring, while others may require occasional measurements. The frequency will depend on the strategies applicable to the project. - Who should be responsible for WELL monitoring?
Monitoring should involve the individuals responsible for sustainability, facility management, maintenance, and operations, as well as the WELL consultant when applicable. Defining responsibilities from the outset is essential to prevent information from being dependent on a single person.
Conclusion: WELL recertification begins on day one
WELL recertification should not become a race against the clock every three years.
A well-structured ongoing monitoring process allows you to keep strategies active, collect evidence as it is generated, anticipate changes in the building, and detect potential deviations before they affect the recertification process.
The key is to treat WELL as an ongoing building management process, not as a certification that is reviewed only when it’s time to renew it.
Are you preparing for your building’s WELL recertification?
At Zero Consulting, we help you structure your ongoing monitoring and develop a recertification strategy tailored to your project’s needs.